I really enjoy craft hobbies like kniting and crocheting. Usually in the summertime, I am outside more, and do not knit; but when the weather starts getting cold and rainy, then I get out the crochet hook, knitting needles and dig through the yarn patters to decide what i want to make. One of the favorite things that i like to knit is socks. They do not take a long time, and the project is small enough to carry along in a knitting bag if you have to go to the doctor's office or somewhere that you know you will have to sit and wait. I used to take my knitting along with me to church when we went to a little community church. Mostly, I was making something that I didn't have to look at the pattern all of the time; so it was easy to listen to the sermon, and still work on the sock or slippers. I am always interesting in learning about a new craft idea, or even a better way of doing an old one; so I am looking forward to hearing what everyone else does for relaxation as a hobby. Here is a picture of a sock that I made for my husband. I actually made him two of them; but he has put the other one somewhere, and we haven't found out where it is at yet.
Hi Yvonne. I have always enjoyed crocheting but was never any good at knitting. Whenever I dropped a stitch I couldn't pick it up and would have to rip back to that point . My favorite craft has to be cross-titch but unfortunately as I get older, my eyes aren't as good and its difficult to see the holes in the cloth. So, I'll almost given up on that one too.
Betty, I know what you mean about the eyes not seeing as good. I used to have one of those little looms and do beadwork, like beaded hatbands and stuff like that. Now, I think that I could not see to get the bead on the needle. My mother-in-law also taught me how to do embroidery back when I was a young bride, and my husband and father-in-law would be out working on one of the vehicles. There was a lot of sitting around and waiting; so she taught me how to knit and embroider. I liked making the pretty pillowcases; and you don't even see much hand-embroidered items any more; but again, I just don't know if I can still see well enough to do that. I have been thinking about trying to do it again though. When you are knitting, and have a dropped stitch, the best way to get it back is to use a crochet hook, and just crochet the stitch back up to where it is supposed to be, and then slip it back onto the knitting needle.
Glad to know I'm not the only one with bad eyes, Yvonne and thanks for the tip on the knitting but I decided long ago to give up on that craft and just stick to crocheting. My mother did beading well into her 70's, so obviously I didn't follow in her footsteps with the good eyesight!
I also knit, mostly in the winter when I need something for my hands to do. I never learned how to do it with needles, I use a loom. It is easy and not that hard to repair if you make a mistake. I have to wear my reading glasses for some of it. I used to do different types of needle work but have found that the thumb on my right hand has arthritis and it will lock in place if I have to hold a piece to long. It's a shame, I used to quilt and do a lot of needle point. I like to do bead work. I make jewelry in spurts. Problem is I like to keep the things I make. I have also gotten so I do small paper projects, like tags for gifts and stuff like that. This year was the first year in a very long time that I spent time making Christmas gifts pretty with bows and stuff like that.
That's my problem too. I love to cross-stitch - I find it relaxing and something that occupies my hands while I'm watching TV or listening to music. But my eye sight has also gotten to where it's hard for me to read the pattern. Also, I like to stitch on 36 count linen, so those holes are really small I found though that I could usually "feel" the holes by dragging my needle over the fabric. My mom keeps recommending I use a magnifying glass - they make one that goes around your neck and lays against your collarbone. I've never used it, but she has a friend who swears by it.
The wife and I do a bit of stained glass, her mom taught her, and I help with the soldering and framing. They turn out nice, but - like most craft items - not really marketable. We enjoy the time together and the doing and gave up trying to sell them years ago. As our eyes get worse, we do easier patterns, but still do the same quality. Her big craft is quilting mostly by hand, - a lap quilt for me!
That sounds a bit uncomfortable, I don't know if I would like to have something hanging around my neck. I can imagine between looking down at the work and the additional weight and pull of the magnifying glass you would have some additional neck stress. I have seen that there is a nice magnifying glass set up where it is attached to a lamp that is on a swiveled arm. The downside is you will have to attach it to a table or some sort of work area but I am thinking if you are like me and like to do your hand work while watching (well more like listening) to the television you might be able to attach this to one of those better TV trays or laptop trays they make. You can find them on Amazon for about $30
That's why I've never used one, it just looks so uncomfortable. I guess you'd get used to it - maybe. I have thought about the ones on a stand or clip, like you showed, but I've just never had good luck looking through a magnifying glass - it seems to distort things some - maybe it's just my bad astigmatism! Then again, maybe I'm just making excuses - I do tend to do that a lot! Procrastination at it's best.
I have reading glasses that I get at the dollar store, and I have several different strenghs depending on how much I need to have things magnified. I still don't do the small projects; but it works fine for the things that I do. I have a lap desk that i use for the iPad, and I have seen some of those with little lamps on them, and I would think that one of those little Amazon magnifiers would be great on the lapdesk. One of my favorite projects is recycling plastic grocery bags and knitting them into little throw rugs using a strand of plastic yarn (plarn) and a strand of regular yarn. They are easy to make, and I am recycling something, plus they last for ever and ever. I have made sleeping mats for the dogs, and they like curling up on those, too. In fact, Chipper often lays right on top of one when I am trying to crochet it ! !
I've 'played' with just about everything at one time or other. The latest 'toy' is Polymer Clay jewellery. Still learning the ropes and watching tutorials until my eyes blur over but I'm getting there and have perfected a few tricks of the trade now. Finally mastered making swirl patterned lentil beads yesterday but still have a lot to learn about it. Learning to use gilding and alcohol inks on it is the next task. I fear that is going to get messy. I have one of those magnifiers with lights under it but it's a floor model and it's quite heavy to move around, wish I'd seen the table version at the time.
Definitely easier than cheap "reading glasses" for me and my astigmatism. (The astigmatism is getting worse...when I do start wearing glasses they'll have to be custom-made, and although I'm told they'll make driving a car less tedious, I'm still dreading the expense.)
One thing about knitting is that it's possible to do simple patterns by touch. I'm not sure whether that's also true for crocheting.
My wife absolutely loves doing crafts, specifically making T-shirts and sweaters for my grandson. I would really like to do so too, but I suck at this.